Legislative Alert:
A High Tech Labor Shortage?!

Many IBM'ers are familiar with the H1-B work visa program, adopted in 1998 at the behest of high tech firms who claimed they faced a critical labor shortage. Now, the industry wants to expand the program. Several measures are now being developed by high tech employers' allies in Congress.

Iif you'd like to let them know your views on the issue, e-mail addresses for those members who both represent districts with large concentrations of IBM'ers AND release their e-mail addresses to the public are listed below. Don't forget to let them know your job title and years of service with IBM!

KEY POINTS

• High tech employers claim to face a labor shortage, but many have been steadily downsizing
• The computer industry had the fourth highest number of jobs cut in 1999
• Thousands of skilled, loyal employees have been laid off by IBM in the last five years
• IBM makes little or no effort to re-deploy staff, yet we have over 30,000 positions staffed by contract employees or vendors
• A 1998 GAO study found that the I.T.A.A. (an industry trade association) pointed to 250,000 high tech jobs that were held by independent contractors and called them "unfilled" openings when they lobbied for H-1B pay figures cited in most current H1-B proposals reflect TOTAL compensation costs
• Take-home pay of H1-B workers is often a much lower amount, after deductions for expenses like training, parking, health care and retirement benefits
• The average H1-B worker makes 30% less than would a native of the US with comparable qualifications

Here's how to find your Representatives' addresses:

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